


Know You Know You Got It Bad

by taggiecb



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Dom/sub Undertones, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Miscommunication, Nick likes to tease Harry, Singer Louis, Tomlinshaw - Freeform, but harry likes to tease everyone, famous/famous, host Nick, so it all works out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 17:52:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12658482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taggiecb/pseuds/taggiecb
Summary: “I heard you on the radio.” Louis says. Okay, definitely not what he expected to hear.“Yes, I am on five days a week, sometimes more.” Nick replies. Seriously, what is up with this kid?“No no. That’s not what I meant.” Louis shakes his head and sighs heavily, as though Nick is the one being cryptic. “I heard what you said. To Fifi.” Louis pauses, but Nick takes a cue and stays quiet. He has a feeling that the more he talks, the longer this thing is going to draw out. Suddenly Louis is getting close, really close. Like, so close that Nick is wondering if Louis is about to kiss him. He doesn’t of course, he’s moving to talk into Nick’s ear. Which, Nick isn’t going to lie, affects him almost as much as a kiss might. The boy is fit. “About the chains and whips.”Now it’s Nick’s turn to blush and fumbleOr Where a glib comment on the radio leads to one very interesting few weeks for Nick.





	Know You Know You Got It Bad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Writcraft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writcraft/gifts).



> Thank the Lord this is finished. Haha. Thank you to the Tomlinshaw exchange for doing this and being so supportive through it. Thank you Anitra for helping me write, and being there for everything in my life. I hope you all enjoy it!

  
  
  


“Let’s go out in style. I will be back tomorrow, have a great afternoon and here is Louis Tomlinson, Back To You.” Nick flips a few switches, and pushes away his chair, feeling satisfied with a good shift on the mic. He waits until Fifi gathers her papers and clipboards and falls in step with her as they walk out of the building. 

“Good shift.” He nods at her. She gives him half a smile back, it’s rarely a bad one. They have this radio business down pretty good now. “Pretty cheeky with that comment.” 

She laughs heartily. “I can’t help it. Ever since you mentioned that last guy you were with liking….” Nick looks over as he eyes go wide, and a dark blush stains her cheeks. “Well, you know.” She glances at him. “I can’t stop thinking about it.” 

“That’s lovely Fifi. You spend your days thinking about me spanking the bare arse of a skinny blonde man.” He shakes his head, feigning disapproval. Fifi bats at his arm and scoffs, the blush spreading. “It’s fine. I doubt anyone even picked up on it.” 

“No, not everyone is as perverted as you.” She snorts, stepping into the car that is waiting for her. 

“Not perverted. Kinky.” Nick waggles his brows and gives a lewd wink before she slams the door shut on him and speeds off. Nick laughs to himself, going in the direction of where he’s meeting his friend for lunch. 

  
  


He walks into a lovely little eatery, just a short distance from his work to spend lunch with an old friend. Well, old is relative. The friend is in his early twenties, and they have only known each other for a short few years, but in this business friendships are fleeting, and you cherish the ones that stick. 

“How was the show?” Harry asks as they order their drinks from a girl who is trying really hard not to care that she is within touching distance of pop star Harry Styles. 

“You mean you didn’t listen?” Nick places a hand on his chest, affronted. Harry just rolls his eyes and scans the menu. 

“I did not. I had a meeting, and you know that.” He sighs. 

“Sounds delightful.” Nick replies. 

“Eh, just label nonsense.” Harry flicks a hand as though to dismiss the entire ordeal. “Although I did bump into that Louis Tomlinson.” A smile spreads on his lips. 

“Oh yeah? Interested?” Nick raises a brow. Louis Tomlinson is an exquisite creature, he’s also mostly sass and unbridled energy. A deadly combination. 

“Ha, no. I heard that he’s a serial monogamist. No thank you.” Harry actually shudders at the thought. 

“How would you ever hear something like that?” It scares Nick sometimes how little people can keep secret in the music business. Or the celebrity business for that matter. 

“I don’t know, people talk.” Harry shrugs. “I did invite him to that thing next week.” He signals the waitress, who must have been watching as she practically trips over herself getting to their table. 

“You mean my party, that thing?” Nick asks, suddenly wondering if keeping a friendship with Harry is actually worth it. 

“Yeah, that thing. Anyway, he said he was coming. Seemed pretty eager.” 

“And what is the purpose of this?” Nick can’t help it. Harry always has an agenda. That laid back lazy smirk doesn’t fool him, not anymore. 

Harry just shrugs, smiling brightly. “The more the merrier. Now order some food. I’m starving.” 

 

Nick’s party is actually an industry party. It’s not Nick’s favourite way to spend an evening, but when you want people to buy your shit, and in this case Nick’s clothing, you’ve gotta sweeten the pot a little bit. So he puts a smile on, moves around the room, makes jokes, and drinks. He only has to do this for a few hours before he can stick himself in a corner with his actual friends who are happy to show up and drink expensive champagne and eat small hors d'oeuvres. He makes his way over to Harry’s small cluster of friends who greet him boisterously and with many congratulations. 

“Well done Nick. Brilliant.” Harry beams at him. He’s quite sure it’s the alcohol, but takes the praise where he can get it.

“Thank you, having a good time?” Nick wraps his arm around Harry and feels Harry lean into him. 

“The best.” Harry grins. “Louis is here. Have you seen him?” Harry tries to waggle his eyebrows and fails spectacularly. He’s more drunk than Nick thought. 

“I haven’t really been looking for him.” Nick replies in truth. 

“Well he’s been looking for you, been following you with his eyes all night.” Harry nods, presumably towards where Louis Tomlinson is standing. 

“If you have noticed what Louis has been up to with his eyes all night maybe you should go talk to him.” Nick elbows him, causing Harry to tip off balance just the tiniest bit. 

“Nope.” Harry pouts. “He’s not interested.” 

“Atrocious.” Nick plays along. “How dare he.” 

“I know, but c’est la vie.” Harry starts humming some vaguely familiar tune, throwing the words C’est la vie in sporadically. Suddenly he stops and looks at Nick with all of the fake seriousness he can muster. “Don’t be scared. He’s just a boy.” Then he’s off towards Lord knows where, Nick is hoping in search of a glass of water or coffee. 

This leaves Nick alone for a blissful second, painfully aware of a man behind him that before this moment he didn’t give a whole lot of thought at all. He turns around to see Louis Tomlinson burning holes into his back, but when he gives a tentative smile, Louis turns abruptly and walks away.

Now that Nick is aware of Louis’ presence he can’t see to forget it. Every time he turns around his brain just seems to zero in on Louis Tomlinson’s face. And everytime he does it seems like Louis is stealing a glance at him. But he never approaches Nick, and anytime Nick seems to be close enough to start up a conversation, Louis is shooting in the opposite direction. It’s a little strange, but more intriguing. 

By the end of the evening Nick feels as though he has been playing some sort of game of cat and mouse, and he’s completely captivated by it. He decides that he needs to at least introduce himself, so he waits for a rare time that he spots Louis with his back to Nick and gives him a gentle tap on the back. 

“I don’t have anything in my teeth.” He says to Louis when he spins around, shock frozen on his face. 

“What?” Louis asks, almost angry. It takes Nick back a bit, but he hasn’t imagined the stolen glances all night, so he presses on.

“I checked. No spinach in teeth, no wine spilled on my shirt. My hair isn’t even doing anything strange for once in it’s life.” Nick smiles, presenting himself to Louis to stare at. 

“Okay?” Louis replies, definitely not admiring Nick’s put together appearance. 

“Well, you’ve been looking all night. I thought that maybe I had something funny to look at. I’m Nick by the way.” He offers his hand, and Louis looks at it like it’s made of lava. 

“I know who you are. This is your party.” Louis replies. It’s not in a friendly way. 

“Yeah, alright. Well, nice to meet you...I guess.” Nick takes his hand back and hopes to forget the entire encounter. 

“Wait!” Louis calls before Nick even gets out of reaching distance. Nick turns around again against his better judgement. Louis is suddenly looking less angry and more nervous. He’s wringing his hands, pulling on his fingers, and looking anywhere but in Nick’s direction. 

“Yes?” Nick asks, because at this point, he isn’t sure what is going to come out of this man’s mouth. 

“I heard you on the radio.” Louis says. Okay, definitely not what he expected to hear. 

“Yes, I am on five days a week, sometimes more.” Nick replies. Seriously, what is up with this kid? 

“No no. That’s not what I meant.” Louis shakes his head and sighs heavily, as though Nick is the one being cryptic. “I heard what you said. To Fifi.” Louis pauses, but Nick takes a cue and stays quiet. He has a feeling that the more he talks, the longer this thing is going to draw out. Suddenly Louis is getting close, really close. Like, so close that Nick is wondering if Louis is about to kiss him. He doesn’t of course, he’s moving to talk into Nick’s ear. Which, Nick isn’t going to lie, affects him almost as much as a kiss might. The boy is fit. “About the chains and whips.” 

Now it’s Nick’s turn to blush and fumble. “That was...just a joke. A song.” Nick replies. 

“It didn’t sound like a joke.” Louis looks at him, a look on his face that Nick can’t quite place. A bit sad, but mostly defiant. 

“Just banter I’m afraid.” Nick swallows his lie, not willing to give away his personal life, his sex life, to a stranger, no matter if that stranger is a famous pop star. 

Louis just stares at him, studies him, for a few moments before he just turns on his heel and walks away, not a goodbye or a kiss my ass, just gone. It makes Nick feel empty, an evening wasted as the mouse escapes. 

 

Louis wakes up on Saturday morning with a sharp pain in his head and a feeling of great unease in his gut. Did he really just spend his entire night, at what could be considered his first big celebrity party, stalking Nicholas Grimshaw? Yes he did. Did he really call him out for liking bdsm? Yup, he also did that. Fuck, what is wrong with him? He’s never had much of a filter, but he knows how to hold a conversation for fuck sakes. That was the plan, at first. 

When he managed to worm his way into the music industry and started to meet some more familiar names, he was a little excited, but he quickly learned that they were for the most part just like him. A guy or girl trying to make a living on a crazy dream when the whole world is telling them that it will never happen. Celebrities don’t really intimidate him anymore, but he still has his favourites. And at the top of the list has always been Nick Grimshaw. 

No, he doesn’t act, and his singing is horrendous at times, but he makes Louis laugh and smile and think, and there is no one that he would rather spend the evening talking to than someone like that. So naturally he decides to become completely obsessed with one little detail that Nick may have spilled that might also be an interest of Louis’ and completely let it ruin his chances at meeting one of his favourite people. God what is wrong with him? 

 

He moves his location later in the afternoon from the bed to his couch. It’s soft, and over stuffed, and almost difficult to get out of. But he doesn’t quite change his position, lying flat on his back with his arms flung over the top half of his face. The old worn gray t shirt he threw on covering his top half while his boxer briefs rest on his hips. A soft throw is tangled between his legs as he groans loudly. 

“I don’t want to talk about it Niall.” Louis says for the third time. Niall plops down on the chair opposite him. Louis can hear his chomping on something crunchy. Probably his favourite garlic crackers. Figures. 

“But it was Nick Grimshaw!” Niall continues on, not paying any attention to Louis whatsoever. “You love that guy!” 

“I don’t love him.” Louis snaps.

“Fine. You are a fan.” Niall sighs heavily. “You must have said something to him. It was his party.”

“Niall…” Louis begins to sit. 

“Louis. I knew you would be famous. I told you that when you became famous the only way that I could still be your friend is if you keep me updated on all of your famous fun things. And it’s not even a month into you being famous, and you aren’t delivering.” Niall says, tone serious and morose. 

Louis pulls himself into a sitting position, careful to not jostle his head too badly. He levels a look at Niall. “Why could you not be my friend if I was famous?” 

Niall narrows his eyes. “They’re all elusive and shady. Secrets are something that I don’t have room for Louis. And you’re just proving my point. You would have never kept a secret like meeting Nick Grimshaw when you were a nobody.” 

“Thanks.” Louis rolls his eyes. He sighs and leans against the back of the couch. “I embarrassed myself if you must know. I acted like a bumbling idiot.” 

“What did you say?” Niall leans forward, excitement flashing in his eyes. 

“Niall!” Louis yells despite the sharp pain it causes in his temple. “Can I not just wallow for the day? Give me that at least?” 

“Fine, Jesus.” Niall rolls his eyes dramatically. “Sorry for being interested in your life.” Niall stands up and leaves the room again. Louis starts to feel guilty about yelling. Maybe he is being hard on Niall. That is until Niall yells from the kitchen, mouth clearly stuffed with food. “You’ve got 12 hours before you tell me every detail!” The guilt subsides considerably. 

 

Niall wasn’t lying, waking Louis from his nap on the couch later that night to tell him what had gone down between him and Grimshaw. It’s definitely as embarrassing as he had remembered, but saying it out loud adds a level of humiliation that he was hoping to avoid. Niall of course is in his glory. 

“You have to talk to him again.” Niall says, bouncing in his seat. “He obviously likes you.” 

“How did you determine that from what I had said?” Louis replies. “As soon as I spoke to him he acted like I was a complete lunatic. For good reason mind.” He sighs, running a hand through his already mussed hair.

“He totally approached you. He clearly was interested.” Niall protests. 

“He wanted to know why I kept staring at him.” Louis crosses his arms. “Then I told him. End of story.” 

Niall is shaking his head violently at this point. “No.” 

“No?” Louis asks, incredulous. “I didn’t realise I was asking.” 

“I don’t accept this.” Niall replies, reaching for the remote for the television. “I don’t accept this at all.” Then he turns on the tv effectively cutting off any and all protest or further conversation from Louis, which doesn’t actually bother him in the least. Niall will forget that he ever had an interaction with Nick Grimshaw, Louis will never see him again in his life, and he can move on. No problem.

Louis isn’t exactly sleeping the next morning, but he’s pretending that he is when his phone starts dinging rapidly. 

_ You up? _

_ Are you listening to the breakfast show? _

_ Nick talked about you _

_ It was...something. _

The phone starts vibrating as Niall’s face pops up on the screen. He slides the accept button and hits speaker. 

“What is it Niall?” He tries to sound sleepy, and uninterested. 

“Nick talked about meeting you this morning.” Niall replies, sounding way too chipper for this topic and this time of the morning.

“How nice.” Louis deadpans, a true statement to his lovely acting skills seeing how his heart rate is rapidly increasing by the second. 

“Well….” Niall says. 

“Niall….” Louis warns. 

“I’ll send you the clip. I recorded right after Fiona mentioned your name. You know, for research…” 

Louis sighs and clicks the voice recording. 

 

It’s a fresh new show on Monday morning, and Nick is feeling pretty good. His launch was a great success, and he didn’t even wake up with a hangover. He smiles brightly at the women across the desk from him, and they all have a good, laid back morning. That is until about an hour before their time is up, and Back To You plays for probably the third time. 

“That was Louis Tomlinson with his banger Back To You.” Nick announces. 

“Louis Tomlinson was photographed leaving your clothing launch Nick.” Fiona says before Nick can move on. Nick knows this of course. It’s his job to know this things. 

“That he was.” Nick replies, knowing damned well that he should say more. It’s his character to say more. Plug his clothes, make a quip about his party, about Louis, anything. But he can’t. He’s drawing a blank. 

“Did you meet him?” Fiona prompts. “Are you star struck?” 

“No.” Nick says, then immediately regrets it. “I mean, yes. I met him...briefly.” Nick wants to bang his head on the desk. He’s choking on his own show. 

“Did he not fall for your many charms Nicholas?” Fiona teases, and he wishes that he could send her some sort of signal to shut the fuck up without her totally calling him on it. She can be vicious if she thinks that she has something that might make him uncomfortable. 

“I’m not sure charm is something that Louis Tomlinson is entirely familiar with Fifi.” Nick finally gets his sharp tongue back and effectively shuts Fiona up as well. 

“Well he can sing, we will give him that.” Fiona nods, raising a brow at him. 

“Sure, let’s give him that.” Nick replies. He leads into an ad and finally takes a breath. 

 

“So what was that about?” Fiona asks as soon as they are off the air again. Nick is seriously considering denying the entire morning even happened, but he knows better. 

“You don’t even want to know.” Nick grumbles, reaching for his phone and absently scrolling through. 

“Um, maybe you should tell me anyway.” Fiona replies, voice sounding kind of strangled. Nick looks up to see her staring at her own phone in what can only be described as horror. 

“What.” Nick asks because something went down, he knows that face. 

She passes him her phone that is opened to Twitter. More specifically Louis Tomlinson’s twitter page. And there’s a brand new tweet already racking up the likes and retweets. 

 

_ Nick Grimshaw wouldn’t know charm if it slapped him across the face _

 

That isn’t great, but honestly he has had worse abuse thrown at him on twitter. He looks at Fiona who just says “Keep scrolling.” He does and sees that there is more. 

 

_ Maybe I would be willing to talk to him if he had anything worth saying _

 

And then finally he reads what would have been the first tweet. 

 

_ I guess there are more than one thing that Nick Grimshaw lies about. _

 

With what looks like a chain emoji tacked on the end. Dammit. He suddenly realises that he’s not staring at his own phone and that he’s technically still at work. He looks at Fiona who, by all appearances is patiently waiting for Nick to explain himself. Nick knows that in reality she’s screaming on the inside for the latest gossip on his sex life. He sighs heavily and pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“Might as well share a car. This might take a while.” He replies, passing back the phone. Her eyes widen, but she graciously muffles the squeal of excitement as she drags him towards the street.

 

Of course people caught onto a potential feud between an up and coming, fresh faced heartthrob and nasty heartless radio announcer. Not that Nick’s bitter. It’s just that he gets enough shit for being Harry Styles’ friend, but now he is being thrown all sorts of abuse for apparently tarnishing poor Louis Tomlinson’s wholesome life and image. He didn’t even do anything!

“I didn’t even do anything!” He whines to Fiona before their Tuesday morning show begins. He’s pouting, he’s aware. 

“I know that, but it’s not about what we know. It’s about whether people will stop listening to us because they think we are trying to sabotage Louis Tomlinson’s career.” She reasons. Nick huffs, silently rejecting her level headedness. “So please refrain from bringing it up.” It sounds more like a plea than an order, but Nick nods his head, agreeing with her as much as he doesn’t want to. 

“Thank you my love. We are going to monitor any incoming calls.” She continues. “Just for today. We don’t want anything that will rile all of this up again.” 

“Fine, let’s just get through this.” He sits down at his chair and shoves his headphones on with much more force than necessary. “Fucking Louis Tomlinson.” He grumbles to himself before he gets the signal to introduce himself. 

 

The show goes smoothly, of course it does. It’s not like they haven’t dealt with backlash from a comment from Nick. He’s pretty famous for sticking his foot in it after all. But he’s on edge anyway. He didn’t even do anything. He didn’t say anything nasty, he didn’t roast Louis. He just turned up at his own damned party and was accosted by a small man with beautiful eyelashes, and now the general public wants to burn him on a stake. Indignant. That’s the word. He’s incredibly indignant about the entire situation. 

“We have a caller Nick.” Fiona breaks him from his internal brooding. 

“And who would like to chat with me this fine morning.” Nick asks, trying to sound chipper and engaged. 

“Harry Styles.” She smiles, clearly smitten with the man as everyone else in the country. 

“Ah Harry! Why are you up this early?” 

“It’s not that early.” Harry grumbles because he knows that Nick knows that he is definitely not a morning person. 

“For many it isn’t.” He digs. “So what’s up? For the sake of keeping this conversation running.” Nick smirks. He knows how to push Harry’s buttons, and it’s oh so fun doing it. Especially when he knows that Harry can’t retaliate.

“I wanted to go for lunch.” Harry says with all of the enthusiasm of a dead man. 

“You called into my work so you could make a lunch date?” Nick laughs. 

“I assumed that your phone would be off.” Harry replies. “Because of the Louis thing.” 

Nick forgets to breath as his stomach drops to his toes. “There is no Louis thing.” He says, trying to be nonchalant. 

“That’s not what Louis said.” Harry challenges him. Why the fuck is Harry talking to Louis about him? How did this tiny human so badly infiltrate his otherwise pleasant week? He sighs out of the mic.

“Well Louis Tomlinson can say whatever he likes. And yes I’ll meet you for lunch. And for the record, my phone is on so text me the details.” Nick snaps at him. There’s only a second of silence before Harry replies.

“Whatever you say!” He singsongs, sounding very pleased with himself, and Nick feels like he wants to punch the speaker from where his voice is coming. 

“Can we move on now?” He asks Fiona sounding much more irritated than he would like on air. Fiona just shrugs and looks apologetic, clearly trying to deal with the aftermath of Harry’s call. Nick can see the phone lines light up from where he’s sitting. This time he sighs into his mic. “Right, well, here’s the next song.” He says into the world and flips on his next track. Praising whatever God that might be out there that it isn’t Louis’.

 

And just like clockwork by the time Nick is off the air for the day Louis has his twitter blowing up. 

_ Damned right I can say whatever I like _

Louis had tweeted probably not ten minutes after Nick’s chat with Harry. 

_ I’d like to see you try to stop me _

He tacks on immediately afterwards, tagging Nick this time around. Both of the tweets are filled with replies of support and love for Louis, doused with a fair deal of dislike for Nick. And of course a few questions about how Harry and Louis might know each other. 

“I’m not sure what this Louis Tomlinson is playing at Nick, but you need to nip it in the bud.” Fiona says as she comes up behind him at the lift. 

“I don’t even know what his problem is.” Nick groans. “We have only ever spoken a few words to one another.” 

“Well maybe he’s trying to get your attention. He’s most definitely pushing some buttons.” She brings her point home by pointing him in the ribs. He jumps sideways to protect himself, and it brings a brief smile to his face. 

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” Nick sighs, feeling a headache come on. 

“Well think fast. I can’t hold them back forever.” Fiona gives him a sympathetic look and pushes past him. “Like, tonight would be good.” 

 

“Maybe just talk to him.” Harry shrugs like the unhelpful friend he is. “He’s a pretty nice guy.” 

“Well I’m glad you get along so well with him. We don’t all get the privilege of Louis Tomlinson’s good graces.” Nick snaps. They are supposed to be shopping for a new hat for Harry’s next tv interview. Despite Nick trying to talk him out of it of course. 

“Hm.” Harry smirks. “Jealous?” 

“Am I jealous that Louis is nice to you and not me? No.” Nick says. “I’d just like for him to stop being an ass. It’s not much to ask. Not talking to me at all would be fine as well.” He pouts. He’s pretty sure he’s lying, but he’s lying to himself as well, so it’s ok. Right? He doesn’t even know. Louis Tomlinson has his brain completely out of whack. 

“Right.” Harry replies, grabbing a newsboy cap of the shelf, placing it carefully on top of his unkempt hair. “Come to my house on Friday. I’m having some people over.” He adds as he admires himself in the mirror. Nick rolls his eyes because frankly, Harry looks ridiculous, but saying that will just encourage him. 

“Does it ever occur to you that I might be busy on a Friday evening?” He asks, crossing his arms defensively. 

“Are you?” Harry turns to look him in the eye. Stare him down more like. Nick shifts uncomfortably under Harry’s stalker stare. It’s really intense. 

“No.” 

Harry smiles slowly, he’s his happiest when he gets his way. “Then it’s settled.” He takes the hat off and puts it back on the shelf. Nick throws up a silent prayer about the hat, but rolls his eyes. 

“You’re incorrigible.” He says, tagging along. 

“It works for me.” Harry smiles charmingly at the sales lady as they walk to the next shop. 

 

Nick shows up at Harry’s door on Friday evening like the chump he is. He clutches the bottle of Bollinger in his hands as he waits for entrance. He’s greeted by a smiling Harry and a pleasant din in the background. 

“Welcome.” Harry says, smiling bright. “For me?” He nods at the bottle. Nick passes it over. 

“Only if you share.” He teases. 

“Yes, I have a feeling you’re going to need it.” Harry replies just as Nick turns into the sitting room where his eyes immediately focus on a laughing Louis Tomlinson. Nick kind of freezes, which is unfortunate because he is aware that he is being weird and conspicuous, but at the same time isn’t able to do anything at all about it. 

Eyes slowly start to make their way to his still form in the middle of the room until the bane of his existence finally notices why things have suddenly gone quiet. Louis’ face adopts a look that Nick is sure matches his own as they stare one another down for what feels like an eternity, but is actually only moments. 

Louis breaks eye contact first, shooting daggers towards someone over Nick’s shoulder. That person is Harry. Well at least Nick can take comfort in knowing that Louis is as caught as off guard as Nick. 

“Harry, a moment?” Nick grits his teeth, not even looking in Harry’s direction before stalking dramatically towards the kitchen.

He stands, tapping his foot as Harry walks into the kitchen. He is looking entirely unapologetic. “Care to explain?” He asks. 

“What?” Harry feigns boredom, making circles on the countertop with his fingers. It’s not endearing. 

“The only thing that I have complained about the last two weeks has been Louis fucking Tomlinson. And you failed to mention that he would be at your house tonight. The place that you invited me?” He realises that he’s getting shrill. 

“Yes, I am aware. That is the whole point. You needed a push.” Harry reasons. At least he thinks he is reasonable. No one else in the world would agree with him. 

“You got tired of listening to me whine so you decided to throw me into the lion’s den? Thanks a lot friend.” 

“No, I ensured that you would actually come and face your...whatever this weird, crazy person flirting is.” Harry opens his arms wide and smiles. “Just call me cupid.” He claps Nick on the arm and opens the bottle of chilled champagne. “Salut.” He cheers Nick after he hands him a glass and takes the entire contents of the glass in his mouth. He then turns and walks out, leaving Nick alone. 

“I’m too fucking old for this.” He grumbles, taking the entire bottle with him into the back garden for a much deserved smoke.

Nick thanks God for small miracles that the back porch is empty, and it’s actually a lovely evening. He sits heavily on a plush couch and fits the bottle between his legs while he pats himself down for a pack. The first drag is almost heavenly and he lets it sit in his lungs for a moment before releasing it into the world. He knows that eventually he’s going to have to go back into the house, but not for a while, like at least until the bottle is gone. Maybe until he knows that there is no one left in the house but Harry. He’ll play it by ear. 

He’s two smokes in, and frankly getting a little bored snap chatting the same bush for half an hour when the door behind him opens, letting out noise and heat before slamming closed again. He doesn’t see who the person is that has joined him until the person in question is standing almost right next to him. 

“Well, the object of my disdain.” Nick finds himself slurring a bit. It’s worth it though because Louis jumps a foot in the air as he spins around. 

“What the fuck!” He screams as he stares at Nick like a deer in the headlights. 

“Yes, what the fuck indeed.” Nick replies. He sighs, feeling the weight of the alcohol in his system in his limbs. “Alright, might as well get it over with.” He says to Louis, opening his arms wide. “Let me have it.” He closes his eyes and tilts his head back waiting for the barrage of insults that he expects to come from Louis’ mouth. 

It doesn’t come. Nick opens his eyes again to see Louis standing almost in the exact same position with the same expression as he had when Nick had first walked in earlier in the evening. Nick watches him for a moment, studying the lines of his face. The way his lips turn at the corner. The little strand of hair that threatens to shift over his blue eyes. The delicate way his hands rest on his chest that’s still heaving from the fright that Nick had given him. 

“Well?” Nick prompts, encouraged by his champagne buzz. 

“I don’t…” Louis replies, but doesn’t finish. 

“You seem to have a lot to say to me, what better time.” Nick sits forward. Louis takes a step back. Nick pauses, watching Louis’ defensive stance. “That was you right?” 

Louis opens and closes his mouth a couple of times before he takes a deep breath. Nick braces himself for a tangent. 

“Yeah” is all that comes out of Louis’ mouth. Nick feels like the embodiment of a side eye emoji as he sizes up his nemesis. 

“This isn’t exactly going how I thought it would.” He admits. 

“Yeah same… Can I go now?” Louis asks, shoving the unlit smoke behind his ear. 

“Uh, yes?” Nick replies and watches Louis practically run into the house without even a see you later. 

“Definitely strange.” Nick mumbles into the void. 

 

Louis is beginning to feel a trend. Talk to Nick Grimshaw in person, wake up with a sense of dread settled deep in his belly. Unfortunately today he can’t lay in bed and wallow. He actually has work. He groans loudly and fights the urge to burrow down deep into his pillows just as his alarm blares in his ear. He doesn’t have time for this. 

He sits in a small room that is dark except for the blinding lights all directed on him. The chair he sits on is comfortable enough, but he can’t relax into it. He can never relax in interviews. He always feels like he is one question away from putting his entire foot in his mouth, and therefore his career in the toilet. No pressure or anything. 

“You’ve been making quite a stir lately Louis, not only are you making waves with you’re new song Back To You, but you’ve been rubbing elbows with some pretty big names. How does it feel being a star?” The interviewer, Debra, smiles coyly at him. 

“It feels like a lot of work. I have met a lot of wonderful people in this industry and they have made it a lot easier to make the transition so to speak. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into if I’ll be honest.” Louis shakes his head and chuckles. 

“So what is your relationship with Harry Styles?” Debra shoots back. It throws Louis a bit, but he retains his laid back smile. 

“He’s been a good friend to me. I know that we are in direct competition, but Harry really cares about the music, and he seems to genuinely enjoy the company of people who care more about the art than the fame.” He feels his foot going closer and closer to his mouth. He can almost see the headlines calling him out for shading singers who love the spotlight. He gives his manager Zayn a look that screams get me out of here. 

“And Nick?” Deborah pushes. She’s like a robot, asking her questions with the same friendly manner even though the implications are starting to feel anything but. 

“Nick?” Louis repeats, feeling all of the moisture leave his mouth. 

“Grimshaw. Your name has been associated with his lately. Any comments on him?” 

Louis freezes. He isn’t supposed to just ignore a question. He has been taught to answer everything, no matter how he has to spin it. But his brain is shorting out, and all he can come up with is the things that he has been fantasizing about Nick doing to him, if Louis could somehow manage to get it together and not act like a completely knob when Nick is within earshot. He can feel all eyes on him. He can feel the silence that is spanning out like an oil slick on water. He contorts his face into a pinched smile and prays that what comes out at least makes sense.

“I have lots of things I could say about Nick Grimshaw. But we don’t have enough time.” He fake laughs, encouraging Debora to believe he’s letting her in on a joke. It only half works as she smiles, but still eyes him curiously. 

“Not even one little tidbit? Let me have a tiny exclusive?” She almost pouts, and Louis wonders if this is the shit that has got her so far in her career.

Louis thinks back to the night before. The way that Nick so casually called him out on the back step of Harry’s house. Keeping him from smoking that cigarette that Nick had caused him to want to begin with. When he walked into the house, Louis’ entire mind and body stilled. The way that Nick was staring at him when Louis turned in his direction. Louis can’t quite explain it, but it made his breath catch, and his fingertips tingle. Then he walked away leaving Louis to feel empty in a way that he didn’t know that he could even feel. He didn’t realise his attraction to Nick ran so deep until that moment. 

“Meeting Nick Grimshaw in person was…” Louis says out loud, but mostly still in his head. “Disappointing.” 

“Oh.” He hears Debora say before the lights are dimmed and Zayn is walking up to him essentially cutting off the interview. 

“I’m sorry, but we’re out of time.” He says to Debora, smiling apologetically. 

“Oh.” She repeats, clearly full of more questions. She looks at Louis longingly as Zayn shuffles him out of the room. 

When they get into Louis’ dressing room and start preparing for the next round of interviews Zayn taps him on the shoulder. “Bro. Get it together. I don’t know what your problem with Nick is, but you have got to stop bad mouthing him.” 

“I didn’t bad mouth him.” Louis replies. “I was disappointed when I met Nick, but mostly in myself.” He looks at Zayn, who is pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Why didn’t you say that?” He asks.

“I didn’t have a chance!” 

“Fine, just...maybe we can put Nick on a blacklist. Keep you from making it worse.” Zayn starts tapping furiously at his phone.

“Is that necessary?” Louis asks, feeling very much the rookie. 

“I know that this is news to you, but people actually care what you do now. You’re little comments on twitter were not for Nick’s eyes only. Everyone is talking about your feud.”

“Feud? What the hell?” 

“Yes, feud. And as far as the world knows, you started it. There is no way in hell that I will get that last interview stricken, but maybe we can salvage it. And for the love of God, stop talking to Nick on twitter.” 

“I was trying to flirt.” Louis slumps in the hard seat that passes for a couch. 

“Heh.” Zayn chuckles without looking up from his phone. “Hate to see what you do to your enemies.” 

“Rude.” Louis says just as the stylist opens the door. 

“Ready for a touch up?” She says cheerily, messing with the many bottles and packages on the vanity. Louis nods curtly. 

“I’ll be talking to you before you go on again. Behave.” Zayn points at him. 

“I don’t even know how apparently.” Louis sulks, arms crossed as he stares into the mirror. He can hear Zayn sigh as he closes the door behind him. 

  
  


Nick is used to a lot of weird emails. He works with celebrities for a living after all, but this one might take the cake. Zayn Malik is Louis’ manager apparently and has called to give him a heads up about some “unfortunate word choices” made by his client in a television interview that has yet to air. He shows it to Fifi when she walks in, holding his hand in her head as she tries and fails to contain her gasps. 

“I’m not your handler Nick. I can’t tell you what to do with your life.” She says slowly, and carefully. “But this is going to cause me a lot of work.” 

“I don’t know what to tell you Fifi. I haven’t even done anything this time. Trust me. I do a lot of stupid things. But this time I’m innocent.” 

“Have you tried talking to him?” 

“Yes! He just stood there like he was being scolded!” Nick waves his hand in the air. “Not that it apparently taught him anything!” 

“Trying to teach him a lesson were you?” She raises her eyebrows at him playfully and his cheeks burn instantly. 

“That is not what I mean.” He grumbles. 

“Well it’s clear he needs something to keep him in line. Zayn Malik is obviously not doing the job.” 

“Do you know Zayn?” Nick asks, Fiona knows just about everyone in the industry, but Zayn is almost as new on the scene as Louis. 

“Yeah, we have been talking about Louis coming onto the show. I don’t know if that is such a good idea anymore.” She shakes her head, disappointed. 

“Not unless you want an hour of silence. Because he won’t talk to me in person, just trash talks me behind my back apparently.” Nick pouts, which causes Fiona to roll her eyes. 

“Quit your moping. You haven’t even tried to fix this. You’re just acting the victim now.” 

“Again,” Nick leans forward in his chair getting close to Fiona’s face. “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” 

“BE A GROWN UP AND FIX YOUR LIFE!” She yells back without missing a beat, turns on her heal, effectively ending all conversations. Nick just sighs as he reads over the email once again. How does he get himself in these messes? “Fucking pop stars.” He grumbles and starts to get ready for the day. 

  
  


The show goes well. As well as it can when Nick’s mind is elsewhere anyway. He doesn’t hate Mondays, he’s not a cliche, but days like this remind him that he has a long week ahead of him. He feels that extra weight on his shoulders as he stands to leave for the day. He’s staring at his feet as he walks to the elevator when suddenly there are another pair of shoes in his line of sight. 

“Good show Fi.” He smiles. She looks as tired as he feels, but there is a wariness there as well.

“I need you to do something for me.” She blurts out

“Anything for you love.” He replies. It’s meant as a joke, but they both know that he means it. 

“I need you to work this Louis thing out before Monday.” She rushes. He just stares for a moment. 

“And that is because?” He prompts. 

“He is going to be on. He’s dropping his album by the end of the month, and he’s announcing it on your show.” She cringes like Nick is about to explode right in front of her. He just stares.

“You realise that I am not the one with the problem here.” He says, crossing his arms. 

“Yes I do. But you are the host, so you are going to have to be the one to keep him happy for an entire hour.” She reiterates. And dammit she is right about that. 

“Fine. I will see what I can do. But this guy has a personal vendetta against me and I have no idea why.” 

“Thank you Nick. I love you forever.” She wraps him in a hug, then rushes in the other direction, leaving him to ride the lift alone. 

“You better.” He mumbles to himself. 

Nick stares at his twitter account. It’s a mess. He realises that Louis had followed him months ago, long before Nick had ever heard his name. He lets this thought warm him for a few minutes before he clicks on Louis’ DM. He runs his hands through his hair and takes a few short breaths before he puts his fingers on his keyboard.

**_Is there anything that I can possibly do to get you to stop this campaign against me?_ **

 

There. Short and to the point. He has reached out, and now it’s up to Louis to respond. Or just leave him alone. That would be fine too. Of course that doesn’t seem to be Louis Tomlinson’s style. He almost immediately gets a reply.

 

_ I’m sorry _

 

Ok, that was unexpected. 

 

**_You’re sorry that you did or you are sorry because you can’t stop?_ **

 

_ I didn’t mean for it to turn out like this. It’s just when I found out….you know. _

 

**_I truly don’t. We met once. You acted very strange, and had half of England harassing me. Then we met again and you wouldn’t even talk to me._ **

 

_ I didn’t act strange! I asked you a simple question, and you have yet to answer me honestly.  _

Nick thinks back to that night, the conversation they had.

 

**_The whips and chains? That’s what you want from me?_ **

 

Nick shakes his head. Not a single person as far as Nick knows picked up on that little innuendo. Why Louis Tomlinson? Why the obsession?

 

_ Why don’t you just answer the question? _

 

Louis confirms his suspicions. 

 

**_I’ll answer your question if you answer mine. Why do you want to know?_ **

 

This time there’s a pause in the conversation. Nick can feel a slight tickle of sweat on his palms as he waits for what Louis has to say. It’s such a strange obsession for a man to have. And yet….

He types in another message before Louis can reply. He pauses, knowing what risk he’s taking. He holds his breath and types. 

 

**_You’re not going to get what you want unless you do as I say._ **

 

He presses send before he can talk himself out of it and waits. For all he knows Louis has logged off, and he will be left hanging for the rest of the night. He contemplates doing that himself when he sees that Louis has responded. His heart stalls a bit, and he holds his breath as he reads the words on the screen.

 

_ I’ll see you on Monday _

 

Fiona thankfully doesn’t bring Louis’ name into conversation for most of the rest of the week. The television interview had come out on Tuesday morning, and while Nick wasn’t surprised to see what Louis had to say about him. He is willing to admit to himself at least that it still stung. He disappointed Louis. Why does that bother him? He tells himself that it’s because he didn’t actually do anything to Louis, and he had no reason to be disappointed to begin with, but between him and his puppies, he knows there is more to it. He supposes that thinking of nothing but one person for weeks at a time will do that to a person. 

“So how are we looking for Monday?” She asks after their Thursday show. Her normally chipper voice is laced with caution. He sighs internally. How is this a thing? Why is this a thing?

“Fine.” He resumes his google search of Liam Payne memes for tomorrow’s show. Payne chain. Classic. 

“So you talked to him?” She pushes. 

“I slid into his dm’s.” Nick smirks. He really hopes that saying doesn’t die anytime soon. 

“Please be serious.” Fiona says, flipping down his laptop. He jumps back, and glares at her.

“I am!” He crosses his arms. “He said see you on Monday. If he’s fine with being here, so am I.” 

Fiona studies him skeptically. “ Did he say what his problem is?” Ugh. She would ask that question wouldn’t she.

“There was some mention of that...situation….” He looks at his shoes. 

“Nick.” Fiona levels him a look. 

“Fifi.” 

“I know that you take your job seriously, and that you aren’t being obtuse intentionally.” She tells him. It’s not a comment. It’s an open ended questions. She’s really asking him what the hell he is doing. 

“Fi, I am not best mates with every guest that comes onto my show. Some of them I had never even spoken to before they sat in that chair. I can’t assure you that things won’t go to shit. But there are very few people that I have in here that I can promise that. All I can do is research, prepare, and hope that Louis brings his A game. Alright?” 

“Yeah alright.” She says quietly, properly chastened. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” She mumbles under her breath as she moved away from him. 

“I do!” he calls after her. “I hope.” He mumbles to himself. 

 

“Behave yourself.” Zayn gives Louis one final order before they get out of the car. 

“You say that a lot.” Louis wrinkles his nose at his manager

“And you never listen.” Zayn shoots back. They reach the door and are escorted into the building. 

“Right, which means that you should probably just give it up.” Louis jokes before Zayn rounds on him. Face serious. 

“Seriously Lou. You are a talented artist and a good human being. You can go places in this industry, but I can’t hold your hand on live radio. You have to spend an entire hour talking to Nick Grimshaw. Please…” Zayn grabs the collar of his jacket. “Please just think before you speak, and whatever you do, no insults to the host.” Zayn looks tired, and Louis wonders how many of his sleepless nights were caused by him. 

“It’s fine Z. We talked through private message. Everything is worked out.” Louis assures, smiling bright. 

“Really?” Zayn asks.

“Yeah. It’s cool.” He skips forward, following the maze of hallways that leads to Nick. He feels a skip in his heart when he thinks of his name. Or him in general. He wishes that he had suggested they meet up ahead of time. But this just seemed for the best. A fresh start. 

They are ushered into a small room that doesn’t have a whole lot of anything except some chairs and refreshments. Louis bops around on his toes, too amped up to sit down. He’s flipping through a Rolling Stone article when someone walks in the room. He looks up to see Nick staring at him, a clipboard clutched in his hands. Louis is still not prepared for the butterflies that flutter up his stomach. 

“A smile. Definitely an improvement from our last meeting.” Nick smirks at him. Louis can feel the flush of his cheeks. 

“I was caught off guard last time. I didn’t have time to prepare.” Louis replies. He barely recognises the soft tone of his own voice. 

“We were both thrown off guard that night. I hope that today is a little smoother.” Nick chuckles, but Louis can tell that he’s nervous too. “So I just wanted to go over a few things.” He continues, and sits on the edge of one of the closest chairs. Louis follows suit, trying to keep his knees from bouncing too much. “So the only thing you have on your blacklist is me.” Louis opens his mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. “A bit awkward. I do like talking about myself, but I’m sure we can work our way around it.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Louis says, wringing his hands together. He didn’t realise how difficult it would be to just sit down and talk to Nick. 

“Hey, it’s alright. We are professionals. We don’t need to let personal feelings get in the way.” Nick reassures him, and Louis is sure that his heart has stopped.

Personal feelings. Nick knows. Louis is aware that he isn’t the most precise person with his words, but he knew that Nick must see through his nerves and know what all of this has been about. A wave of relief washes over him. He stands again, ready to conquer anything. Nick stands at the same time, and Louis finds himself only inches away. They both pause, looking at one another with a combination of wonder and unease. 

“Any questions Louis?” Nick asks, and Louis can’t ignore the gravel that has snuck into Nick’s voice. 

“Yeah.” Louis replies, licking his lips. 

“What’s that?” 

“Will you hold me down and fuck me until I cry?” Louis lifts one side of his mouth. 

“What?” Nick asks, and just like a bubble bursting, the moment is gone as Nick’s look of wonder turns into shock. 

“I-” Louis replies. This is not the reaction he was expecting. Nick is backing away from him quickly, 

“You-” Nick replies. 

Suddenly Zayn appears in the doorway. “It’s almost time.” He calls in. He’s about to walk out but then freezes, staring the two of them down. “Everything alright in here?” 

“Uh” Louis says, still with his eyes on Nick. 

“Yeah, I just have to…” Nick points at the door, and then before anyone else can say another word is gone. Louis remains frozen in place. 

“Louis, what did you do this time?” Zayn asks. 

“Uh.” 

 

“So Louis, thanks for joining us!” Nick beams at him as though nothing had happened only minutes earlier. He guesses that this is the game. Nothing is real when a camera is rolling. 

“It was hit and miss. I’m not much of a morning person.” Louis smiles back. Nick laughs loud. A sound that he has heard countless times before. A laugh that he thought he loved, but just feels fabricated now. 

“We have you here for a very special reason today Louis. Want to just get it over with so we can kick back for the rest of it?” Relax, what a joke. Louis feels like he’s about three minutes away from losing his sparse breakfast. 

“Yeah yeah.” Louis starts, trying to muster up as much enthusiasm as this moment deserves. “I am so excited to announce that we finally have a release day for my album LT1. Everyone cheers excitedly, he joins in for a moment. 

“That’s great Louis. What's the date? When can we all be prepared?” 

“Oh, uh November 28th.” Louis recited. A date that has been engraved into his brain. 

“The real question is, will the world be ready.” Nick says into his mic. “But until then, we have this little bop to tide us over. Here is Louis’ smash hit Back To You.” Nick flips some switches, and looks at Louis. There isn’t anything said between them, and the scrutiny of Nick’s eyes cause Louis to almost overheat with embarrassment. He shoots out of his chair and goes to Zayn. 

“You’re doing great. Almost halfway through.” Zayn rubs his shoulders. There’s nothing more that Louis wants to do but lean on Zayn, but he doesn’t. He just nods and tries to shake it out. 

“What will he want to talk about now?” Louis asks. 

“I don’t think anything serious. Nick is fun. He likes to play games and ask what your favourite flavour chapstick is. Relax.” Zayn shakes him a little. 

“Hm.” Louis grunts. Easy for Zayn to say. He didn’t just get rejected by the man. “We’ll see.” 

“That’s the….spirit.” Zayn half smiles. 

“We’re on in twenty seconds!” Someone yells behind him and he begrudgingly takes his seat again. Nick is still watching him, not appearing to have moved at all in the last few minutes. 

“Louis.” He says when Louis is seated across from him again. All Louis can do is avert his eyes. 

“And here we are. Louis hasn’t got tired of my company just yet. So let’s have some fun before he goes and lives his glamorous popstar life.” Nick beams again, pushing a few buttons. “Want to play a game with me Louis?” 

Louis’ mouth goes instantly dry. He gapes for what feels like an eternity. “Yeah, of course.” He manages to reply. Nick eyes him for a moment, but doesn’t comment. 

“Alright, I have heard from a very unreliable source that you are a big fan of Gaga. Can you confirm this Louis Tomlinson?” Nick asks, playing the part of hard hitting reporter. It makes Louis smile a little to see the crease between his eyebrows. 

“I can confirm that this is true.” Louis replies, trying to match Nick’s solemn tone. 

“Excellent. So we are going to test you. I am going to recite to you lines from songs. They will either be lines from one of Lady Gaga’s many hits, OR…” His voice raises as he waggles his eyebrows. “A line from Harry Styles latest album. I have cleverly titled this new game “Lady or the Tramp.” 

Louis burst out laughing at this. Harry is going to hang him by his toenails. Both of them probably. But he nods, playing along. 

“Are you up for the task?” 

“I think I can manage, yeah.” He rubs his hands together.

“Excellent. I’ll try to be easy on you.” Nick replies, and Louis is instantly back into a spiral. Why does everything Nick Grimshaw says to him have to have some double meaning? Louis is acutely aware that he is likely the only one to notice this, but it doesn’t make his life any easier. 

“I appreciate it.” He replies instead of the screaming that is going on in his head. 

“Alright, first line.”  Nick starts and reads off a line “ Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick.” 

“Gaga, definitely Gaga. Love Game.” Louis nods. 

“You sound confident.” Nick replies. 

“Yup, no doubt. Love that one.” Louis smiles. 

“Alright, I’ll give you the next one then.” Nick smirks until he looks at his screen. He looks at Louis for a second then clears his throat. “Are you ready?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Louis replies. 

“Need a man who likes it rough, likes it rough, likes it rough. I’m shiny, and I know it, Don’t know why you wanna blow it.” Nick looks at Louis, who is looking back, frozen. “Are you stumped?” Nick asks, but his voice is a little more tentative than it was. 

“Gaga.” Louis replies, not really trusting himself to say more. Nick waits for a moment anyway, but Louis keeps his mouth determinedly. 

“Very good.” Nick replies, snapping out of their little trance. “Next one might be a little more difficult.” 

“I’m ready for whatever you want to throw at me.” Louis says. Of course pertaining to the game they are playing. No double meaning in his words at all.

“I bet you are.” Nick replies before he reads the next lines on his screen. “Ok, here we go. Woke up alone in this hotel room, played with myself, where were you?” 

“Is that a lyric to a song, or are you asking me?” Louis asks before he remembers how many people are actually listening.

Nick clears his throat, but smiles anyway. “Does that mean that you don’t know who sings this song?” He replies. 

“I’m going to have to go with Harry. And wonder what his social life is like.” 

“Ha, he’s not as cool as he wants us all to believe. Trust me.” Nick says. “He’s actually probably listening right now. Hey Harry!” 

“Hey Harry!” Louis follows suit. “Do I win?” He asks. 

“Not yet!” Nick checks his screen again. “Three more.” 

“Alright, let me have it.” Louis leans back, feeling pretty confident now. 

“Will we ever learn? We’ve been here before, It’s just what we know.” 

“That is tricky. I know I have heard those lyrics before but I can’t remember where!” Louis shakes his head, smiling. 

“Does this mean that I could possibly be the Lady or the Tramp champion?” Nick raises his hands in victory. 

“How is that fair? I got them all right so far. How can you win if I only get one wrong?” Louis complains, crossing his arms. 

“I make the rules.” Nick just shrugs. 

“Do you?” Louis asks. 

“Yeah.” Nick replies, and Louis is pretty sure that they aren’t talking about the game anymore. 

“Harry.” Louis replied, and it throws Nick off balance for a moment. 

“Pardon?” 

“It’s Harry’s song. I remember that I have been hearing it on the radio lately.” Louis looks him in the eye, trying to gauge what is going on in Nick’s brain. He thought that he knew, but he has no idea what he is doing anymore. 

“Very good mate.” Nick nods. 

“Two more?” Louis asks, and it’s clear that Nick is completely off balance. 

“Actually we have taken a little too long and are running out of time.” Nick says. “Sorry man, another time.” 

“Anytime.” Louis replies, and barely pays attention as Nick does his radio thing and goes to music. As soon as they are off air Louis stands to speak to Nick, but Nick rushes out of the room so quickly that he knocks over a chair on his way out. It leaves everyone else awkwardly staring at one another. 

“What the hell?” Zayn asks, coming to stand next to Louis, who hasn’t moved from his place. 

“That might have been my fault.” Louis replies. “Maybe I should…” He points to the way that Nick had abruptly exited, and starts to make his way to find him. No one says anything to stop him so he slips out before they decide that it’s not a good idea. 

 

It actually takes a little bit to find Nick being that this is Nick’s place of work, and Louis hasn’t actually ever been there. But he retraces his steps and finds him in the same little room that they had their first encounter in the building. When he walks in the door Nick is staring out the window, hip cocked to one side, but the rigid shape of his back gives away his nerves. He clears his throat quietly to not jolt him too badly. Nick whips around anyway, cheeks flushed deep. 

“I’m sorry.” Nick says immediately. “That was….unprofessional.” He chews on his bottom lip, staring at Louis.

“Is that what you want?” Louis asks, fingers twitching nervously on his thighs. “Professional?” 

“I’m quite literally at my work right now.” Nick waves his arms taking in the room around him. He sounds exasperated.

“What if we weren’t?” Louis takes a step forward. “What would you say to me then?” 

Nick takes a breath, and sighs heavily. “ I would probably say why.” He levels Louis a look. 

“Why?” Louis’ heart feels as though it’s caught in his throat.

“Yes. Why.” Nick replies. “Why are you doing this? I don’t….I don’t understand why you are doing this to me. What are you gaining here?” 

“Gaining?” Louis can feel himself gaping with little he is able to stop himself. 

“Is it fun? Seeing people squirm? God Louis, you’ve turned my entire life upside down with your games! I can barely tell whether I am coming or going!” 

“Games?” 

“Can you please stop replying in one word sentences?” Nick turns his back again, looking out the window. “Maybe just go.” He adds on, more quietly. Louis’ heart sinks into his feet. “Please.” Louis turns around and walks out the door without another word. 

  
  


Nick curls his hands around his warm cup of tea while the dogs lounge around his feet. The sick feeling of regret hasn’t left him since he left the station. He didn’t exactly know what he was going to get from Louis when he confronted him about the back and forth that has been going on between them, but he most certainly didn’t expect a response like that. Louis looks like a scared deer or a scolded child. Not the sassy pain in the ass that Nick has come to think of him as. His mind whirls through all of their encounters over the last few weeks, and he just can’t wrap his head around what has gone down between them, but he feels horribly exposed, and at the same time suspended in this weird state of limbo. He’s not sure if he can deal with that. 

He finally relents and pulls his phone from his back pocket and checks his twitter. It’s a mess. The interview with Louis had most definitely stirred up some reaction. But as far as Louis himself, there is only silence. Silence is worse than the comments directed at Nick’s character. He almost wishes he had them back. He stares at Louis’ twitter feed for a few minutes longer before he clicks on the dm. The previous conversation is still there. Nothing has changed, but God it seems like everything is different. 

 

_ Why did you ask me that question at my party? _

He types, not really expecting an answer. He hasn’t gotten one yet, why now. 

 

**_You still didn’t answer that question._ **

Louis almost immediately types back. 

 

_ Please Louis, just tell me what is going on. I am just so confused.  _

There is a pause where Nick actually holds his breath. Maybe knowing Louis’ motive will be the answer. Maybe it will be the end. 

 

**_I want it._ **

The words sit bold and stark on his screen before a few more pop up

**_I want you_ **

Nick releases his breath, and shakily takes another one. 

_ You want me? You want to be with me?  _

 

**_I don’t just want to be with you Nick. I want something from you that I was hoping that you could give me. I have always fancied you, but then that morning. The things you said. I need someone to take care of me._ **

 

Nick’s phone feels slippery in his hands as he reads Louis’ message. 

 

_ Maybe we should talk about this in person. _

 

He manages to reply. 

 

**_Anytime_ **

 

Louis says and sends a number shortly after. Nick simply sends a thumbs up which seems completely inadequate and also inappropriate for the occasion, but what do you say to someone who asked you to hold down and fuck him until he cries, and actually means it. He puts the phone down as though it was a ticking bomb and leaves it there for the rest of the night. 

 

He doesn’t contact Louis again for a few days and Louis doesn’t contact him. The relative quiet compared to the past weeks has given him a lot of time in his own head, and the only thing really taking up space is Louis.

He finally breaks a few days later. The phone number that Louis had given him got put immediately into his contacts and has basically been taunting him ever since. He doesn’t even want to admit to himself how many times he had clicked on the entry and immediately changed his mind. But he decided that he wasn’t going to let this go. He couldn’t get Louis off his mind, he at the very least needs closure of this whole encounter. 

He waffles back and forth for a few minutes between text and call when his nerves answer for him. 

 

_ Did you still want to talk? _

 

He determinedly puts his phone back in his pocket. He’s not going to assume that Louis will answer him right away.He is surely busy doing his famous singer stuff. He has probably forgotten all about Nick by now. He probably blocked the number as soon as it popped up on his phone. It lasts for about five minutes, and there is a reply.

 

**_Yes_ **

 

_ I’m free anytime. _

 

**_Send me your address_ **

 

Nick takes a deep breath and holds it while he types in his address. He doesn’t release it until he hits send and waits. Thankfully not for long. 

 

**_I’ll be there in half an hour._ **

 

“Fuck!” Nick screams at nothing. He was wrong. He isn’t prepared for this. “Fuck fuck fuck. What am I doing?” He stops in his tracks and takes a deep breath. “Alright Grimshaw. Take hold.” He gives himself a gentle slap on the face. “It’s Louis. And he wants you.” His stomach clenches. “He. Wants. You. He wants you.” An involuntary smile creeps up his cheek. Louis Tomlinson is coming here because he wants him. What is his life? He just needs to figure out what the hell was up with the last few weeks. 

 

Almost exactly an hour later his bell rings. He barely stops himself from running to the door, but when he gets there he can’t help but stop and stare. Louis is standing in front of him in a pair of dark blue jeans, and a dark brown leather jacket. His body seems to be crouched in on itself as he watches Nick’s face. 

“Hey.” Nick says, smiling slowly. 

“Yeah.” Louis replies. He kicks the ground for a second before he clears his throat. “Are you going to let me come in?” He doesn’t look Nick in the eye. 

“Oh. Yes of course.” Nick backs up and lets Louis follow him in before he closes the door again. 

“Do you want a cup of tea, or….” Nick turns to look at Louis who hasn’t moved from inside the door. 

“It’s not a game.” He says as soon as Nick looks at him. 

“I know that.” He replies. Louis takes a step towards him. 

“I’m not sure how this happened. I don’t know how you thought that I was trying to hurt you, or play with your emotions, your life, but it’s not a game to me.” 

“There is a lot of evidence that says otherwise.” Nick replies, but there is no heat behind him. 

“I tend to say things that people take in ways other than I mean them.” Louis says. 

“That sentence alone could use a decoder ring, so I am inclined to believe you.” Nick chuckles, moving into the livingroom. 

“It wasn’t that bad.” Louis replies, and for the first time since he walked in the door Nick can feel the tension fade just in the slightest. 

“You told a reporter on national television that meeting me was a disappointment.” Nick raises a brow at Louis whose eyes go wide for a moment. 

“That was not what I meant!” Louis replies. “I meant that the meeting was disappointing. It didn’t go as I was hoping it would.”

“How were you hoping it would go?” Nick asks. Louis flushes and starts playing with his fingers. Nick chuckles. “You had no problem asking me to fuck you until you cry, but you are embarrassed about how you wanted our first meeting to go?” 

“Don’t tease.” Louis says, but his voice is gravelly and when he finally looks at Nick there is a vulnerability in his eyes that Nick has never seen before. 

“No teasing?” Nick asks, and it’s very clear to both of them that they aren’t talking about the interview anymore. 

“Nick.” Louis whines, and it sounds more like a plead for mercy. 

“Say the words Louis.” Nick commands, and he sees Louis almost melt in front of him. He looks like his knees are about to buckle under him, but Nick doesn’t move. He waits. “Lou.” He repeats softy. “All of this is for nothing if you won’t just tell me what you want. What you need.” 

“God, it’s not that simple!” Louis runs his hands through his hair. 

“Obviously it’s not that simple. This is the longest conversation we have ever had and it still dissolved into...whatever this is.” Nick waves a hand in the air. Louis continues to assault his hair with his fingers. Nick moves in front of him, and gently takes Louis’ wrists into his hands. “Maybe we should start with the simple things. Despite all of the slights on my character, the awkward encounters, and making my lose my shit on my own radio show, I really like you Louis. I wouldn’t have asked you here if I didn’t.” 

Louis stills under his touch. “I want so much. I have built this up in my head. A year ago meeting you would have just been a fantasy. Then this idea of…” He flushes. “Have I made a mistake?”

“A mistake?“ Nick pauses. “A mistake about me? About what you want?” 

“The first time we...talked, I thought that maybe it could just be casual. A sexual relationship. But I don’t want that anymore. I didn’t even take the time to wonder what you may have wanted. I didn’t take the time to wonder if we would even work…” Louis starts to shuffle under Nick’s touch again. 

“Louis?” He says softly, just long enough to get Louis to look at him again. There is a storm in his eyes of all of the directions that his mind is going. Nick tries to think of the best way to clear the storm, clear his mind. He leans down and connects their lips gently. When he pulls back Louis tries to follow his mouth. “Let’s not worry about what this means tonight. Let’s just enjoy being together. Can you do that?” 

“I….yeah.” Louis nods. 

“I don’t want this to end with tonight, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Nick adds, and it causes Louis’ eyes to snap up. For a moment Nick thinks he’s going to protest, but he launches at Nick almost knocking him off of his feet. 

They kiss passionately for a moment. Nick didn’t even know that kissing could feel this good. He leans into it, wrapping his hands around Louis’ slim waist and around the lower curve of his back. Louis lifts his arms up to brace himself on Nick’s shoulders. 

“Say the words Lou.” Nick says again against Louis’ mouth. Louis whimpers under him.

“Fuck me. Please fuck me.” Louis begs, and it elicits something feral inside Nick. He groans, but it sounds more like a growl coming from deep within

“Come.” He instructs Louis and takes him by the wrist towards his bedroom. Louis follows easily as Nick takes him in his arms once again, pushing him towards the bed and lowering him down under Nick’s weight. “Do you want?” Nick asks, capturing one of Louis’ wrists in his hand, pushing it gently into the bed. Louis nods frantically.

“Yes, I want it.” He pulls both of his arms above his head allowing Nick to encompass both of his wrists in his hand. 

“We need to get this off first.” Nick says even though he is reluctant to leave his position. He can feel Louis reacting under him, his erection pushing against Nick’s hip. But they are both fully clothed, and he would really like to rectify that. 

He releases Louis’ wrists, and pulls away from him. Louis’ body lifts off the bed following the pressure of Nick’s body, but he doesn’t move his arms. Nick takes the hem of his shirt, and pulls it up to his shoulders where Louis lifts his upper body enough to allow the fabric to slip over his head. Nick takes a moment to admire his tight torso that is littered with stark black tattoos, a few splashes of red in a few places. He lays a gentle hand on his chest, and lets it trail down Louis’ chest, and the soft curve of belly. He can feel Louis’ eyes on him. It feels like time stands still for a moment after the whirlwind of the last few weeks seem to come to a halt. He wants to capture this moment in his memory. He wants to study every hair, every goosebump.

“Nick, please.” Louis whines softly. He looks up to see Louis. His eyes are glazed in lust, lips wet and parted. The definition of obscene. 

“I like to hear you beg.” Nick replies, putting his hand on the buckle of Louis’ belt, but he doesn’t do anything to remove it. Just lets the weight of his hand give something for Louis to grind against. 

“I can do that. I can beg.” Louis says, moving his hips in a steady rhythm. Nick takes this opportunity to release his Louis’ belt, and button. 

“Nick.” Louis reaches out for something to hang onto, and Nick finishes undressing him by pulling his jeans the rest of the way down. Louis’ cock springs free from its confines. Louis brings a knees up and spreads his legs as far as he can from the position he is in, welcoming Nick to come between them which he does happily. He kneels down placing light kisses on Louis’ bare skin until he reaches his eager erection. Without warning he takes it in his mouth, swallowing down as much  as he can on the first go. “Fucking hell!” Louis yells out, back arching off the bed. 

Nick pulls off again, gripping Louis with his hand and stroking him casually. He watches Louis react as he rubs his thumb over the head of his cock. “You look gorgeous like this.” Nick says softly, almost to himself. “It makes me want to wreck you.” 

“Please please please.” Louis moans. Nick speeds up his strokes but only enough to get Louis grinding against the bed. When he can feel the muscles of Louis’ legs start to tense and senses the impending orgasm, he releases him again, causing Louis to cry out. It’s almost a whimper of pain as he is left alone on the bed, scrabbling for some sort of contact. His hand comes down to finish the job, but Nick slaps it away. He undresses himself quickly before he’s back over Louis’ quivering body. 

“I’m going to do as you asked Louis.” Nick breathes into Louis’ ear, causing Louis’ breath to hitch. “I am going to hold you down and fuck you until tears come to your eyes. Are you ready?” 

“Yes.” Louis whispers, looking at Nick with such pleading and desperation that Nick can’t stop himself from capturing his lips in a deep kiss. It’s demanding and dirty, and so raw that Nick doesn’t know if he has ever felt it before. 

He breaks it off and pulls Louis onto his stomach. Louis instantly arches his back and pushes his ass into the air for Nick to appreciate. Nick doesn’t hesitate to take a handful and squeeze. It makes Louis moan the tighter he squeezes, and by the time he lets go, there are fingerprints indented in his skin. He takes the lube from his nightstand and coats his fingers liberally before pushing slowly, but determinedly into Louis’ hole. Louis takes it eagerly. He leans into it, grabbing one of Louis’ wrists to bring it behind his back. It locks Louis into place so that all he can do is moan and beg for more. Which he does.

“More Nick give me more. Been waiting so long.” Louis pleads with him, but Nick takes his time, enjoying the view of Louis falling apart beneath him, watching his legs dig into the bed trying to gain some traction on Nick’s administrations. Nick wraps a leg over Louis’ knees, holding him down completely until Louis can do nothing but muffle and groan into the pillow, his leaking cock throbbing between his legs. 

When he thinks that he is good and ready, and Louis is on the verge of being a complete mess of babbling and pleading, he slips a condom on himself and repositions himself in between Louis’ legs. When Louis’ limbs are free he scrambles up onto his knees and pushes his ass towards Nick’s waiting cock, trying to fuck himself on it. “Gonna fuck yourself?” Nick asks. “Should I just wait here until you manage to rub yourself off on my leg?” 

“No, fuck me please.” Louis shakes his head violently. 

“Look at me.” Nick commands. Louis turns his head, twisting his back so that he can make eye contact. Nick pushes into him and sees Louis eyes want to close and roll, but he doesn’t. He does as Nick tells him. Nick bottoms out and waits a moment, letting them both adjust before he pulls out and thrusts back in. Louis grunts as he’s pushed forward in the bed, but he doesn’t break eye contact. Nick reaches forward, and digs his fingers into Louis’ hair, pulling back enough to make his back arch, and his upper body to push off the mattress. He starts fucking him rhythmically, leaning in so that his body is almost completely covering Louis’ body. He dips his head down so that it's leaning on Louis’ heaving shoulders. “God you feel so good.” He moans. “Want you to come first.” 

“Need you.” Louis responds. “Need your hand.” 

Nick reaches around grasping Louis once again, tugging on him with rough strokes. Louis responds almost violently at his touch. 

“Fuck yes. Gonna come.” 

“Come on then. Come apart. Let me see how much you want it.” He speeds up his thrusts so that he is practically pounding Louis into the bed. Louis cries out. 

“Yesyesyesyes" 

Nick releases his cock, and grabs him by both of his hips. He almost lifts Louis completely off the bed as he grinds into him. “Oh fuck. Gonna come in that tight hole.” He says as he buries deep inside him, orgasm tightening every muscle in his body. He is hesitant to even move, wanting to soak up every moment of the feeling, but the aftermath of his orgasm weighs him down like a drug. He carefully pulls out of Louis’ limp body and collapses beside him. 

He watches Louis, whose eyes are closed but his heavy breathing shows that he's still very much awake. The tears that he had promised glisten in the corners of his eyes. He finally opens them and peers at Nick. 

“Thank you.” He says sleepily.

“Thank me? I think it should be the other way around.” 

“You have no idea the gift you gave me.” It's a sentence that throws Nick off guard. 

“I'm not sure I follow, love.” He rolls to his side and props an arm under his head. 

Louis pauses, watching him. He opens his mouth to speak, and Nick can tell that he's choosing his words carefully. 

“I made a lot of mistakes doing this. I said things to you that you could have taken advantage of. You didn't. I knew you wouldn't. I trusted you and you trusted me, even if what happened before was a mess. I don't know where we go from here. But this night was really great. And I want to thank you for giving me a chance.” 

Nick can only stare at Louis, laying vulnerable and spilling his heart to Nick. It's such a turnaround from where he thought Louis’ feelings for him laid. He reaches out and lays his palm gently on Louis’ cheek. 

“I hope you know that I would never hurt you.” He says. “Unless you ask me to.” He smirks. He can't help it. He's a smartass and everyone knows it. 

“And after tonight?” Louis asks. 

“Maybe an actual date?” Nick says cautiously.

“Are you asking?” Louis smiles.

“I am.” Nick nods his head. 

“I'd like that.” Louis replies. “Then I can decide how I really feel about you.” There's a sparkle in his eyes. 

“Is that right? How do you know that maybe I'll decide that you're not so hot yourself?” 

“Oh, I'm pretty hot. Lots of people tell me.” Louis smiles a fake Hollywood smile and Nick rolls his eyes, but returns it. 

“That you are. Pretty great all around I suspect.” 

“I suspect you might be the same.” Louis leans in and kisses him on the lips. The kiss of a lover, tender and sweet. Nick could get used to it. 


End file.
